Nigeria’s Blessing Oborududu has secured a spot in the semifinals of the women’s 68kg wrestling competition at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The 35-year-old wrestler’s advancement ensures she will win a medal, though it remains to be seen if she will improve upon the silver medal she won at Tokyo 2020.

Oborududu faced a tough start in her match against Canada’s Linda Morais, conceding two points in the opening three minutes. However, she made a remarkable comeback, scoring six unanswered points in the second half to secure an 8-2 victory.

In the quarterfinals, Oborududu continued her strong performance by defeating France’s Koumba Larroque 6-2, advancing to the semifinals.

Sports Minister Senator John Owan Enoh praised Oborududu’s resilience, saying, “Blessing Oborududu has shown incredible skill and determination. We believe in her abilities and are cheering her on to make Nigeria proud once again.”

Akuh Purity, head coach of Nigeria’s women’s wrestling team, expressed confidence in the team’s potential to surpass Nigeria’s previous Olympic records. “We are aware of the high expectations after Oborududu’s silver medal at the last Olympics, but we are not under pressure. The federation has provided strong support and a great training environment,” Purity said.

Oborududu will continue her quest for a podium finish in the semifinals on Tuesday, with hopes of winning a gold medal for Team Nigeria at the Paris 2024 Olympics.